Synopsis: “Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.”

Why I can’t live without this book: It’s free verse. It’s a Newberry Honor Book (among numerous other awards). It’s a true coming of age story, told from the perspective of a young black girl. It’s gorgeous, it delights in justice and mercy, and it gives those of us who haven’t experienced discrimination because of the color of our skin an insider’s point of view. So read it, even if you’re an adult and it’s written for an age group thirty, forty, fifty years your junior. It still will change you. (I highly recommend the audio version, as it’s read by the author herself, but numerous people say it’s necessary to see it in print – so, have at it, whatever you decide).

(One of my) favorite quotes:

“Even the silence
has a story to tell you.
Just listen. Listen.”

—

So, Brown Girl Dreaming: have you read it? Did you love it? What of the free verse style?